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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate on Saturday in the ongoing Somnath Swabhiman Parv, a four-day celebration commemorating 1,000 years of the resilience of Gujarat’s historic Somnath Temple.
The festival, running from January 8 to 11, 2026, highlights how the shrine endured repeated destruction and rose again after Mahmud of Ghazni’s first attack in 1026. This resilience symbolises India’s enduring faith and civilisational strength.
The Swabhiman Parv also marks 75 years of the modern rebuilding of the Somnath Temple, led by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in 1951.
In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi described the event as a powerful reflection of India’s spiritual traditions and noted that people across the country are celebrating it with devotion and enthusiasm.
Omkar Chanting and Drone Show
According to the Prime Minister’s schedule, he will arrive in Somnath on the evening of January 10.
At around 8 PM, he will take part in the divine chanting of the Omkar mantra at the temple premises.
The evening will conclude with a grand drone show lighting up the skies above the Arabian Sea, adding a modern visual element to the spiritual celebrations.
On January 11, at approximately 9:45 AM, Prime Minister Modi will lead the Shaurya Yatra, a ceremonial procession dedicated to the brave men and women who laid down their lives defending the temple over centuries of invasions.
The procession will include a symbolic one-kilometre roadshow featuring 108 horsemen in traditional attire, representing courage, sacrifice and continuity.
Following the yatra, the Prime Minister will offer prayers and perform darshan and pooja at the revered Somnath Jyotirlinga around 10:15 AM. Also, he is scheduled to speak to a public gathering at around 11 AM as part of the Swabhiman Parv.
The festival features 72 hours of uninterrupted Omkar chanting by thousands of young priests and saints, spiritual music evenings, and cultural programmes highlighting India’s heritage and national pride.
PM Modi’s visit underscores the Union government’s emphasis on preserving and celebrating the country’s rich cultural and spiritual legacy.
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